March 6 2014 'the mints'

Today was a breakthrough day on the bus. I learned that the lady I sat next to yesterday (row 2 left) was the neighbor of a good friend. It was my intention if I saw her today, to speak to her, as I knew her daughter from coming to lunch at my home.

At the stop, the 'bus fare bully' emerged again. Comp commandeered the fare from 4 others and paid for 5 as she entered the bus. Alt Comp, Ms. Shewsbury, another regular and myself (unwillingly in my case) were the victims on this occasion. The bus driver noting that she was paying for the large group remarked with a smile "you have a lot of money today", this driver was also known to Comp.(she seems to know a lot of bus drivers). On board, row 2 was sitting on the other side of the aisle and of course Penny in her usual spot, Ms Shrewsbury and Alt. Comp sat together as expected.

By the time we turned the Long Bay corner we saw the aqua marine of NC, 3 stops away. This time not making any mistakes Comp was able to identify the person correctly. When she boarded and sat opposite me in the first row,  I demanded that she be given a mint and banana as I was offered at the bus stop by comp.  So stretching across the aisle she was given her banana and mint. She had read how 3 days before, mints were also distributed and demanded one for the time missed. She remarked how the bus driver was very pleasant and was smiling on her entry and that he should also be given a mint.

Today, we missed the sleepy head, but the Kolij twins were present. At the Cutter's stop , BDD boarded and and sat in front of us in the reserved seats, and at the Heddings entry, the Student in skinny jeans boarded. She remembered our interactions from the previous days and greeted us warmly. I informed her that Comp was distributing mints again and asked if she wanted one. She accepted smiling and I offered one to BDD who accepted as well.  I could see that BDD was taken off guard by the offer, and was a little apprehensive about these strange people who are always talking and laughing on the bus. But she relaxed afterwards and seemed more at ease in our company. As we talked from topic to topic she would take in a word here and there but was not as hostile in her glances as on previous occasions. 

At one point, the conversation shifted to the difference between braided hair and weaves. On seeing the hair style of the student  I asked if weaves felt heavy to carry on the head. Comp  first corrected  the point that the girl's hairstyle was a braid and not a weave and I then correctly asserted that a weave  from my knowledge, was applied by "string tied to the root of the hair'.

This started a big debate. Comp suggesting that I was wrong and that glues were used and not string. I asked NC for her comment and she agreed with me that , a thread was used to knit the hair in place, which was essentially what I was saying.  To get another opinion, I asked the student her opinion on the matter. I explained first, how the discussion started because of her hairstyle and asked about the process of weaving. She concurred with NC about the knitting with thread, which essentially settled the argument.  Comp maintained the point that string was the wrong term and that a thread was more accurate.  I gave up, same difference.

By this time NC had reached her stop and on the way out, said she was going to give her mint to the driver. I was shocked when she went to the front of the bus and stopped by the driver and gave him something, while whispering. I then noticed a big smile on the driver's face as he started again on his journey. As this point the student remarked that at this rate we will soon be giving mints to the entire bus.

This really opened the door for further conversation, I asked if she was a UWI student and she said no and where she was studying and what subject. I remarked that I knew the place and that my wife was a part-time tutor at the same Institute. We continued and I spoke about my working in a related field etc.. I felt we left as friends as she got off at the stop and said goodbye.

The point is , we were successfully able to  impact 6 lives today by a simple mint and bus fare 'bullying'.  The BDD  and college student are now friends because of a mint and the discussion about a weave, and the bus driver continued his journey with a smile on his face.

To me the unorthodox contact we make, is impacting the persons on the bus. 

As my theory goes, light give both heat and warmth, light is seen but warmth is felt. Warmth is more personal in its application, we can connect in both ways, but I think warmth is more impactful, because it cannot be avoided.

!Dios te bendiga!